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20 Most Common Kinyarwanda Verbs

Do you want to know the most important verbs in Kinyarwanda and how to use them in a sentence? Here’s our beginner’s guide to the most commonly used Kinyarwanda verbs.​

Do you want to learn Kinyarwanda, but you don't know where to start because there are so many new words to learn? Well, don't worry, the best strategy is to....... Start learning the most common Kinyarwanda verbs. No matter what context, these 20 verbs will pop up everywhere, they make up almost 50% of all verbal speech, making them easy to learn, and practice.

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To give you an easy start, here are the 20 most common verbs you will need when speaking French, with their present-tense conjugation and a practical example sentence to use in everyday conversation. ​

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The 20 Most Common Kinyarwanda Verbs

1. Kuba - to be

  • ​Ndi (I am)

  • Uri (you are)  *Singular/Informal

  • Ari (he/she is)

  • Turi (we are)

  • Muri (you are)   *Plural/Formal

  • Bari (they are)

 

Example: Ndi umunyeshuri. (I am a student.)

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2. Kugira - to have

  • Mfite (I have)

  • Ufite (you have)

  • Afite (he/she has)

  • Mufite (you have)

  • Tufite (we have)

  • Bafite (they have)

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Example: Mfite amafaranga. (I have money.)

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3. Gukora - to do, to make

  • Nkora (I do)

  • Ukora (you do)

  • Akora (he/she does)

  • Mufite (you do)

  • Tufite (we do)

  • Bafite (they do)

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Example: Nkora akazi kenshi. (I do a lot of work.)

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4. Kujya - to go

  • Ngiye (I go)

  • Ugiye (you go)

  • Agiye (he/she goes)

  • Turagiye (we go)

  • Mugiye (you go)

  • Bagiye (they go)

 

Example: Ngiye ku ishuri. (I am going to school.)

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5. Kubona - to see

  • Ndabona (I see)

  • Ubona (you see)

  • Abona (he/she sees)

  • Tubona (we see)

  • murabona (you see)

  • barabona (they see)

 

Example: Ndabona inzu nini. (I see a big house.)

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6. Gushaka - to want

  • Ndashaka (I want)

  • Urashaka (you want)

  • Arashaka (he/she wants)

  • Turashaka (we want)

  • Murashaka (you want)

  • Barashaka (they want)

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Example: Ndashaka amazi. (I want water.)

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7.  Kuvuga - to speak, say, tell

  • Mvuga (I speak)

  • Uvuga (you speak)

  • Avuga (he/she speaks)

  • Tuvuga (we speak)

  • Muvuga (you speak)

  • Bavuga (they speak)

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Example: Mvuga Ikinyarwanda. (I speak Kinyarwanda.)

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8. Gushobora - to be able to, can

  • Nshobora (I can)

  • Urashobora (you can)

  • Arashobora (he/she cans)

  • Turashobora (we can)

  • Murashobora (you can)

  • Bashobora (they can)

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Example: Nshobora gukora ibi. (I can do this.)

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9. Gufata - to take

  • Mfata (I take)

  • Ufata (you take)

  • Afata (he/she takes)

  • Tufata (we take)

  • Mufata (you take)

  • Bafata (they take)

 

Example: Mfata igitabo cyanjye. (I take my book.)

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10. Kumenya - to know

  • Nzi (I know)

  • Uzi (you know)

  • Azi (he/she knows)

  • Tuzi (we know)

  • Muzi (you know)

  • Bazi (they know)

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Example: Nzi igisubizo. (I know the answer.)

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11. Kuza - to come

  • Ndaje (I come)

  • Uraje (you come)

  • Araje (he/she comes)

  • Turaje (we come)

  • Muraje (you come)

  • Baraje (they come)

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Example: Ndaje nyuma. (I am coming later.)

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12. Gutanaga - to give​

  • Ndatanga (I give)

  • Utanga (you give)

  • Atanga (he/she gives)

  • Dutanga (we give)

  • Mutanga (you give)

  • Batanga (they give)

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Example: Ndatanga impano. (I give a gift.)

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13. Gutekereza - to think

  • Ntekereza (I think)

  • Utekereza (you think)

  • Atekereza (he/she thinks)

  • Dutekereza (we think)

  • Mutekereza (you think)

  • Batekereza (they think)

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Example: Ntekereza kuri wowe. (I think about you.)

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14. Kureba - to watch, look

  • Ndareba (I watch)

  • Urareba (you watch)

  • Arareba (he/she watches)

  • Turareba (we watch)

  • Murareba (you watch)

  • Barareba (they watch)

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Example: Ndareba televiziyo. (I watch TV.)

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15. Kwiga - to learn

  • Ndiga (I learn)

  • Wiga (you learn)

  • Yiga (he/she learns)

  • Twiga (we learn)

  • Mwiga (you learn)

  • Biga (they learn)

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Example: Ndiga Icyongereza. (I learn English.)

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16. Kumva - to understand

  • Ndumva (I understand)

  • Urumva (you understand)

  • Yumva (he/she understands)

  • Twumva (we understand)

  • Murumva (you understand)

  • Bumva (they understand)

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Example: Ndumva ibyo uvuga. (I understand what you are saying.)

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​17. Kurya - to eat

  • Ndya (I eat)

  • Urya (you eat)

  • Yarya (he/she eats)

  • Turya (we eat)

  • Murya (you eat)

  • Barya (they eat)

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Example: Ndya imbuto. (I eat fruit.)

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18. Kunywa - to drink

  • Nywa (I drink)

  • Unywa (you drink)

  • Yanywa (he/she drinks)

  • Tunywa (we drink)

  • Munywa (you drink)

  • Banywa (they drink)

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Example: Nywa amata buri munsi. (I drink milk every day.)

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19. Gukunda - to like, love

  • Nkunda (I like)

  • Ukunda (you like)

  • Akunda(he/she likes)

  • Dukunda (we like)

  • Mukunda (you like)

  • Bakunda (they like)

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Example: Nkunda umuziki. (I like music.)

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​20. Gukoresha - to use 

  • Nkoresha (I use)

  • Ukoresha (you use)

  • Akoresha (he/she uses)

  • Dukoresha (we use )

  • Ukoresha (you use)

  • Mukoresha (you use)

  • Bakoresha (they use)

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Example: Nkoresha mudasobwa yanjye. (I use my computer.)​

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